UNDERSTANDING CHILDREN'S CONSTRUCTION OF KNOWLEDGE: PROCESSES AND APPROACHES

The significance of understanding children's construction of knowledge emanates from the ideological position on the nature of learning, which is the constructivist view. This, in turn, has deep connotations for the conceptualisation of learners' assessment. The present study attempts to explore the processes and approaches by which the learners attempt the given tasks. The study has a qualitative research design. The sample consisted of fifty children from Classes II and IV. Data was collected through a questionnaire which related to the broad areas of understanding of issues of Environment Studies (a subject taught in the primary school curriculum). The findings reveal that children come up with multiple and diverse responses, based on their own experiences of which they are a part. The findings have implications for both learners and teachers at the primary school level. Thus paper puts forth the point that children entering primary school at around 5?6 years of age are already in the process of learning. So rich experiences provided to them at school need to acknowledge and build on what they already 'know'. This also has significant connotation on how assessment of children is conceptualised. Drawing from field-based evidences, the paper argues for a re-definition of the notion of assessment to be understood as more dynamic and process-oriented, which values each learner as 'special' and worthwhile. Finally, the educational implications of the findings are discussed.